


In your Easter Bonnet

by spikesgirl58



Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-03
Updated: 2015-04-03
Packaged: 2018-03-21 03:10:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3675204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikesgirl58/pseuds/spikesgirl58
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for MFUWSS Easter Egg Challenge - prompt - the Easter Parade.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In your Easter Bonnet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jkkitty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jkkitty/gifts).



At the knock on his office door, Illya looked up from the schematics he’d been studying. Napoleon was standing there, wearing a morning coat and carrying a top hat and walking stick.

“What are you all dressed up for? Do you have an assignment?” It wasn’t unusual for Napoleon and Illya, recently partnered, to still receive individual assignments. As the working and personal relationship grew between the men, both admitted they prefer working together now.

“Today is an important day and as you are a still newly arrived, I am duty bound to share it with you.” Napoleon held up a garment bag. “Your clothes.”

“We are dressing up?” Illya frowned. “I thought Halloween was in October.”

"It is, but this is a much different affair.”

“What is it?” Illya rose and took the garment bag behind a changing screen. Unzipping it, he took out a soft grey morning coat. “This is very expensive.” He fingered the material gently, the roughness of his fingertips catching.

“Well, consider it an investment.” Napoleon checked his watch. “We’d better get a move on.”

Illya stripped off and hurriedly redressed. Such extravagance, he thought, but secretly relished the feel of the silk shirt against his skin and admired the cut of the trousers. He quickly knotted the tie.

“Why, Miss Jones, you are beautiful,” Napoleon said as Illya stepped from around the screen.  
Illya bowed to him and Napoleon held out a package. “There’s more?”

“You can’t be all dressed up and not have the proper cuff links.”

Inside the box were two gold eggs.

“Eggs?” Illya swapped out his UNCLE-issued cufflinks for the new ones.

“In celebration of the day.”

“You still haven’t told me where we are going.”

“Fifth Avenue between 49th and 57th streets.”

 

A taxi was waiting for them and no words were exchanged, leading Illya to believe that the driver had already been given his instructions.

The vehicle picked its way through the thickening crowd until it finally pulled over just short of 49th.

“This is as close as we are going to get today, Napoleon.”

“This is fine, Zeke. We will see you on the other end.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You still haven’t told me where we are going.” Illya climbed out and adjusted his jacket slightly. He was handed a top hat and a walking stick similar to Napoleon’s.

“It was thought to have started in the late 1870’s, a spontaneous parade of sorts and by the 1900’s it was considered a major expression of Easter, not just here, but across the nation. Irvin Berlin even wrote a song about it. Anyone can participate and we are encouraged to dress.”

They stepped out onto Fifth Avenue and Illya’s mouth dropped. All around them were people dressed to the nines, men wore elegant suits and women wore glamorous dresses and extravagant hats.

“What is all this?”

“This is your first Easter Parade, Mr. Kuryakin.”

“But why?”

“There is no why, Illya. It’s a New York tradition. Welcome to America.”


End file.
